By Shane Kastler
Prayer involves many things. One aspect of prayer involves making our requests known to God. While this is a good and Biblical aspect of prayer, many people wrongly assume that we tell got what we want because He wouldn’t know otherwise. Furthermore, people also wrongly assume that God’s purpose in prayer is to give us anything we ask for. This type of mindset is wrong, both in its assumption that God is ignorant of our needs and its assumption that He will grant every request with an affirmative answer. God doesn’t promise to do this.
God is sovereign and thus knows all things. Jesus said that God knows what we need before we ask (Matthew 6:8). So we don’t pray because God is ignorant. To the contrary, we pray because He knows everything. Nor are we guaranteed an affirmative answer. Jesus told his disciples that whatever they asked “in my name” he would grant, that the Father might be glorified in the Son (John 14:13). But praying “in Jesus name” means a lot more than simply muttering the phrase “in Jesus name” at the end of a prayer. To pray “in Jesus name” also means to pray in accordance with His will. Sometimes the Lord’s will is to grant your request. Sometimes it isn’t. Jesus himself gives us such an example in His own prayer life.
When Jesus prayed the night before His death, He asked the Father, “If possible let this cup pass.” Many have wondered why Jesus would pray for something that He knew wasn’t the Father’s will. I suspect a big part of the reason He prayed like this was to teach us how to pray. His three closest disciples were within ear shot and heard him pray like this. They also heard him say, “Not my will, but yours be done.” (Matthew 26:39) Jesus made a request, but also made it clear that the Father’s will was what Jesus ultimately desired. You and I should pray with the same mindset.
Sometimes God will grant what you’re asking for because it’s in accordance with His will. Sometimes He won’t because it is not. Prayer is all about discerning the will of the Lord and submitting to whatever His will is. As Christians, we may boldly approach the Lord; but we must also approach in humility, knowing that God is in control and will work things out for His glory and our good (see Romans 8:28). But only He knows what “good” is. Sometimes He says yes to our request. Sometimes he says no. In all your praying, be sure to ask Him to give you a heart that submits to Him; no matter what He says in response to your request.
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